Smoker On Oxygen Killed In Fire In Shrewsbury Home

Firefighters outside the home on South Quinsigamond Avenue after the fire.

SHREWSBURY(CBS) – A smoker who was on oxygen was killed in a fire at her home in Shrewsbury Thursday night.

Firefighters were called to a duplex on South Quinsigamond Avenue around 8 p.m. and found a fire in the bedroom.

After putting it out, they found 64-year-old Paula Shumway in the bathroom, on the floor with the door closed.

The official cause of the fire is still under investigation but investigators told WBZ-TV Shumway was a smoker who used an oxygen tank because she had breathing troubles. She also had limited mobility.

Shuman had just retired from the Westboro District Court, where she worked at the front desk.

The couple living in the unit next door escaped safely. They are getting assistance from the Red Cross.

Hey Sully, you may have thought you put 2+2 together during the 5 minutes you were sober today, but you don’t really know all the facts due to the cause of the fire. The next time you down a case of Irish beer and get in your car, look in the mirror if you want a definition of stupid.